The Single Best Upgrade to any Bag: New Tom Bihn Absolute Shoulder Strap

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The Single Best Upgrade to any Bag: New Tom Bihn Absolute Shoulder Strap

Greetings-

I have been using the new Absolute Shoulder Strap for two weeks on my Ego, which weighs no less than 18 pounds. This strap is Amazing!

Originally, when I ordered my Ego, I forgot to upgrade prior to checkout and received the Basic Shoulder Strap with my great bag. When I visited the Seattle Factory Showroom this August I bought the Absolute Shoulder Strap (original).

I must say, that the first time I lifted the bag after quickly installing the new strap, I felt the difference on my shoulder. It does not feel like I have a twenty pound bag hanging from my left shoulder. The new strap makes it possible to carry more gear. :)

The Absolute Shoulder strap line just gets better.

The first detail I noticed was that the elastic of the strap was wider, the ergonomic shape was added, and the strap is longer overall. Additionally, the stitching is slightly tighter that the original version.

The strap is incredibly comfortable, due in part to its ergonomic curve; it is a work of engineering genius. If you are waiting to order a Tom Bihn bag, do not wait to order the strap and start using it today.

I simply cannot say enough about the new shoulder strap. Do yourself and your shoulder a favor and order one.

I wear my bag both hanging from a shoulder and across body with no issues, the new strap accomplishes this with no issue. The ergonomic curve should always have the concave side facing the bag (see picture).

ELASTIC:
The original strap had an elastic band of approximately 1.5 inches wide. The new Absolute Shoulder Strap has a band width of 2.25”. You do not need to be an engineer to determine that distributing the load across just that difference results in less impact to you. Additionally, the strap allows for some bounce (like the previous one) and does not jolt you if you are walking briskly.

LENGTH:
The original shoulder pad portion (between the strap terminations) was originally 9 inches, and is now 11.5 inches.

HARDWARE:
If ordered separately, the new Absolute Messenger Strap will ship with the Made in the U.S.A. snap hook hardware. If you use a bag such as the Ego which has toothed slider you will not need the hardware.

This strap is simply an upgrade everyone should own. If you already own an original Absolute Shoulder Strap, the combination of the new features ergnomic shape, additional length and width makes this a winning addition to your collection.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I will do my best to answer.